Download Ancient Israel - Colts Neck Schools

Ancient Israel – Pt 1
• As the various Mesopotamian groups came and went, one Fertile Crescent
group successfully emerged from ancient history to stay – they are known
as the Israelites from Ancient Israel
• There are many names used to describe the people of Ancient Israel
• Israelites is the most commonly used name but “Hebrews ” or “Jews” or
“Jewish people” are also used in the historical narratives
• The Israelite religion is known as Judaism, and people that believe in
Judaism are called Jews - Hebrew is also used as the name of the
language of the Israelites and of Judaism
• The word “Israelite” means “he who has wrestled w/God”
• Many people in Western civilization are familiar w/the Israelites primarily
due to the wide recognition of the Hebrew Bible
• (Tanakh in Hebrew), which tells the narrative of their story
A Breakdown of the Hebrew Bible
•
In the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible, the God of the Israelites (known in
Hebrew by many names, Hashem is probably the most common) appeared before
a man named Abraham of Ur
•
This incident occurred approximately between 1950 BCE and 1300 BCE
•
According to the Torah, God said to Abraham: “Leave your own country… and go
to a country that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation.”
•
The Biblical account relates that Abraham did as he was asked - after much travel,
Abraham reached an area of land called Canaan and God appeared again, saying:
“I give this land to your descendants.”
• Abraham and his people entered into a formal agreement or
covenant (brit in Hebrew) w/their God
• The Israelites agreed to worship their God and only their God,
and in return, they would be their God’s Chosen People and be
given the land of Canaan as their Promised Land
• This began the monotheistic tradition of Judaism
• To symbolize this covenant, God told Abraham that all Jewish
males must perform a ritual called a brit milah
Ancient Israel – Pt 2
•
The Hebrew Bible continues w/the story of Abraham & his family
•
A major famine & drought in Canaan caused the Israelites to leave and migrate
south to Egypt - many historians believe that a sizable Hebrew population lived in
the Nile Delta from about 1500-1250 BC
•
Some historians also believe that the Israelites moved into Egypt specifically at the
time when the Hyksos had taken over Egypt
•
The Israelites lived peacefully in Egypt until they were eventually enslaved (no
specific reason is given as to why) by the Pharaohs who used them as laborers on
numerous building projects (not the Pyramids!)
•
When Pharaoh decreed that all male Hebrew babies were to be drowned, a baby
named Moses is floated down the Nile in a basket
•
Hearing a crying child, Pharaoh's daughter pities the baby and adopts him
•
He is raised as an Egyptian but as a young man, Moses discovers the truth & flees
•
God, appearing as a burning bush not consumed by flame, commands Moses to go
to Egypt and demand of Pharaoh: "Let my people go."
•
Pharaoh resists Moses' petition – through God, Moses
unleashes 10 plagues upon Egypt (see packet)
•
When the last plague strikes, Moses instructs the Jews
to cover their door posts w/the blood of a lamb as a sign
for God to protect/pass over the Jewish homes – this is
why the holiday commemorating the Exodus from Egypt
is called Passover
•
Pharaoh then releases the Israelites and they head east
toward the sea
•
Moses, using God’s power, parts the sea for the people
to cross – when Pharaoh’s army follows, Moses closes
the sea, drowning the Egyptians
•
Moses then begins the journey back to the Promised
Land – the Jews wander in the Sinai Desert for 40
years
•
During the journey back, Moses climbs up Mt. Sinai
and returns w/the 5 books of the Torah as well as the
Ten Commandments, which contain the basic laws of
Judaism
Ancient Israel – Pt. 3
•
After the Exodus, the Israelites re-entered the Canaan,
changed its name to Israel`, and organized themselves
into 12 tribes
•
The tribes became involved in conflict w/the
Philistines, a group south of Israel - to deal w/the
Philistines, the Israelites appointed a king, Saul , who
was a disaster
•
He was replaced by David, who went on to become
the most successful Israelite King
•
In 1000 BCE, King David united the tribes, defeated
Israel’s enemies & established Jerusalem as the
Israelite capital
•
David’s son Solomon (971-931 BCE) did even more
to strengthen Israel - Solomon is best known for his
construction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
• The Israelites viewed the Temple as the symbolic home of Judaism – the
innermost room of the Temple, a sanctuary known as the “Holy of Holies,"
housed the Ark of the Covenant , a chest which contained the original Ten
Commandments & original 5 books of the Torah
•
Solomon's building required him to
tax the Israelites heavily
•
Upon his death (approx. 926 BCE)
the 10 northern tribes revolted and
established their own nation called
the Kingdom of Israel (they took the
name too!)
•
The two southern tribes then
established their own nation called it
the Kingdom of Judah
•
Because of the split, the Israelites as
a whole became much weaker and
more vulnerable to outside
attacks…hint, hint!!!!
•
The power of the northern kingdom of Israel declined, and by around 800 BCE, it
was forced to pay tribute to the powerful Assyrian Empire
•
Eventually, $$$ would not suffice - the Assyrians overran the northern kingdom of
Israel in 722 BCE (see primary source reading)
•
The southern kingdom of Judah was also forced to pay tribute to Assyria but
managed to survive as an independent state
•
However, Judah remained a target - the Chaldeans, who had conquered the
Assyrians, turned their attention to Judah
•
Under King Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldeans conquered Judah and completely
destroyed Jerusalem and the Holy Temple_in 586 BCE
•
Most Jews were sent into exile in Chaldea to live
•
Upon the destruction of the Chaldeans by the Persians and Cyrus the Great in 538
BCE, the Jews were allowed to return _home_to make a 2nd Holy Temple (see
primary source reading)
•
Judah remained independent until it and the entire FC was conquered by
Alexander the Great in 332 BCE - the Greeks gave Judah a new name - Judea
•
Judea lived under Greek rule for 200 yrs until it was conquered & made part of the
Roman Empire in 64 BCE
•
In 66 CE, Judea revolted – in 70 CE, the Romans crushed the rebellion and
destroyed the 2nd Holy Temple – it was never to be rebuilt again
•
The only part left of the Temple is its Western Wall, which is the holiest place in
Judaism today
•
The Romans dispersed as many Jews as they could away from Judea - this large
dispersal of Jews living outside of Israel was/still is called the Diaspora
•
In 1948 CE, (1,878 years later) the modern-day nation of Israel was created as
homeland for Jews from around the World